Moore Norman Technology Center's 7th Annual Red Carpet Film Festival

The Babysitter – design by MNTC Graphic Design student Derek Fontenot

(NORMAN, Okla.) April 20, 2015 --Moore Norman Technology Center's Digital Video Production and Graphic Designclasses will host the 7th annual Red Carpet Film Festival at 7 p.m. May 2 at the Meacham Auditorium in Oklahoma Memorial Union at the University of Oklahoma. Tickets are $8 and must be purchased in advance due to limited seating. Tickets may be purchased by cash or check at MNTC's Franklin Road Campus inside the IT Building, or by calling 364-5763, ext. 4120 for more information.

The Red Carpet Film Festival was first created to provide a way for students to experience deeper learning, working on extensive, industry-level projects in a collaborative environment. Students from both programs are empowered to create complex projects that they see through from concept to distribution.

Students in both DVP and Graphic Design complete a capstone course during their second year of instruction. DVP students write, shoot, direct and edit short films while Graphic Design students work as an advertising agency producing movie posters, DVD boxes, invitations and other print support materials for the event.

MNTC DVP instructors Amy Smith and Joe Magrini said their students developed, wrote and pitched their short film ideas to a panel of local film professionals in October. During the remainder of the fall semester they cast and shot their films. This semester the students completed post-production editing and color correcting on their projects.

Smith said, "Our students follow the production process in a very real-world way. With the Red Carpet Film Festival, we create a capstone experience for our students that goes beyond any normal classroom assignment."

Director of Programming and Education of deadCENTER Film Festival and member of the Red Carpet Film Festival judges' panel Kim Haywood will speak at the event. She is a strong supporter of the goals of Red Carpet.

"Over the past five years, I have traveled the state leading film education seminars with deadCENTER Film Festivaland no other film program compares to the program at Moore Norman Technology Center. Students at Moore Norman are receiving real-world knowledge and an understanding of the collaborative nature of the film industry. This type of instruction prepares students for successful, life-long careers," said Haywood.

MNTC Graphic Design Instructor Trisha Marlow said her students pitched their movie poster designs to a panel of local graphic designers at an open house event in February. The judges provided critiques and feedback for students while also selecting the posters that were then presented to the student directors in DVP.

"What impresses me every year about the design portion of this competition is how MNTC students regularly turn out work as sophisticated and creative as that done by students in the local college and university design programs," said Skip McKinstry, designer/writer and Red Carpet movie poster judge.

Marlow said, "The intent of this capstone project is to help students set goals and monitor their progress in maintaining them, to develop problem-solving and decision-making skills."

Students from the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma once again provided original scores and sound design for the movies. Chris Freihofer, CSA, with Freihofer Casting worked with DVP students and held a casting call to find local talent for the movies.

In addition to the feature short films, DVP first year students will present short shorts based on four provided titles.

Magrini said, "The festival helps students visualize and experience their future lives as graphic designers and filmmakers."

For more information about the Red Carpet Film Festival, or to view movie trailers and posters, visit their website. To learn more about MNTC's Digital Video Production or Graphic Design classes, or to enroll visit mntc.edu or call 405-364-5763.

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Movie poster design credits:

Like Father Like Son – design by Kelsey HammondMNTC Graphic Design student